Nothing Matters (Family Matters Book 1)

by Key, Liana

  She shows me around the place and then we sit in a lounge where her half-siblings are watching tv. Damon and Dominique are already in their pajamas, have already eaten dinner. Antonia, her stepmother, appears all dressed up. Magdala introduces us. She smiles at me and I feel like a complete hick in my scruffy clothes. She is very glamorous, looks like she could be on the red carpet. She's in a purple strapless dress, high, high heels and her brown hair hangs in curls. She looks younger, way younger than she is. I know for a fact that Mom is only a couple of years older than her, but hey, I can never imagine Mom looking like this. Her father reappears, now in a suit, looking handsome, but slightly uncomfortable in it. Antonia fusses over his hair and tie and her Dad rolls his eyes. He goes up to the little kids, kissing and hugging them, and Magdala says, "Where's Cash?"

  "In his room I think," her Dad replies.

  "What time will you be home?" she asks.

  Antonia answers, while she hugs the little ones, "Might be late, after one."

  Her Dad rolls his eyes again. Antonia gives Magdala last minute instructions, teeth to be cleaned, stories to be read, bed at eight, lasagne for us in the oven, salad in the fridge.

  "We'll be fine," Magdala assures them, "just go!" I love the way she talks to them so openly, so easily, I get a good vibe from their interaction. And I realize I haven't felt out of place, other than my clothing, that all families work pretty much the same. When they leave we go and eat dinner, and Cassian joins us. He's done his hair, and is dressed in skinny jeans and a shirt and it surprises me when Magdala says he doesn't have a girlfriend. Cassian is Magdala's half brother, she told me his mother died when he was born. That saddened me, to think he never knew his mother. And it surprised me, knowing they are less than a year apart in age, that their father must have moved on pretty quickly.

  “Where are you going?”Magdala asks.

  “Just to Devon’s,” he says, “what are you doing?”

  She shrugs, smiles, says, “Nothing much. Just hanging out.” She glances at me with a cheeky look on her face, and Cassian notices, but looks at me with a passive face, and I feel embarrassed. Cassian puts more salad on his plate and offers me some. I help myself, murmuring a thank you. He takes a drink of water, his phone rings and he answers it, leans back in his chair but turns to the side. For some reason I watch him, noting how good looking he, how stylish he is, so relaxed. He talks, laughs, talks some more, looking over his shoulder at Magdala. I think I feel some boy envy, like if I could be so cool. Magdala says he's a good tennis player, that he practises everyday. It looks like he goes to the gym as well, his arms make mine look like sticks. Laughs again, and I notice his pierced tongue, which seems unusual to me, so I wonder if he might be gay, he doesn't seem it, but what do I know. He hangs up and Magdala says, “Who was that?”

  “Devon,” he says, “wanting to know if you were coming.”

  “He did not,” she retorts.

  “Told him you have other plans,” he laughs. She punches him in the arm, saying, “I'm going to take the kids to bed.” She comes to me. “I won't be long,” she says and kisses my cheek. Without thinking I kiss her back on the lips and then I feel embarrassed with Cassian watching. A few minutes later the little kids come in and hug Cassian goodnight, wave to me, then can be heard running up the stairs. I feel slightly nervous being alone with him, but he starts talking, basketball first, then other sports, then school and it's almost like we are friends. Shortly Magdala returns and she comes and stands behind my chair, her hands on my shoulders, then lower to my chest. Her touch electrifies me. I reach my own hand to cover her right hand, entwining them.

  "When are you going?" she asks Cassian.

  He grins as he looks at her, says, "I'll just clean up here." He rises, stacks our finished plates, looks at me and says, "Are you staying over?"

  I start to say, "No, I don't -," but Magdala cuts me off with a sharp, "Yes he is. I already asked Dad." Cassian's eyes widen, as if in surprise. And she runs her spare hand around the back of my neck. I stand up, face her, my confidence high, that of a kid knowing he's about to get some action. I kiss her again.

  "Come back and hang out with us if you get bored," Magdala says to Cassian, and he just acknowledges us with an eyebrow raise and we walk out to her room, which is just past the lounge. She rushes up the stairs to check on the kids, and I look around her room, which is probably twice the size of my bedroom. It has a walk-in closet and an ensuite. It's feminine, but not too girly, the duvet a crisp white cover with a pink rose design. She has too many cushions and pillows stacked on the bed and several teddy bears. She comes back and reaches her hands around my neck, kissing me. My hands squeeze her ass, she walks me over to her bed, lips still locked, and falls down onto the bed. Our lips momentarily part, but then resume kissing. My left hand fiddles with the button on her denim shorts, and then the button fly. She squirms as I pull them and her panties off together and she shakes her feet to unhook them from her ankles. I shift her further onto the bed, my hands around her belly, my lips moving onto her belly button, and lower. My tongue explores. She lets out a gasp, then a moan. My tongue darts around, another satisfied moan from her, I must be doing something right. My fingers probe now, touching, feeling, entering. She seems to like it. She feels wet, ready; I know I am. I undo my jeans as quickly as I can, and before I know it I'm inside her, one of her legs awkwardly wrapped around me. It feels frantic, urgent, exciting, almost forbidden, as if it's wrong to be doing it in her house, as if her parents could return at any minute. We lay there for a minute or two, recovering, and then I move ourselves to the centre of the bed, tossing away half the cushions and removing my t-shirt. I feel a release of my inhibitions, a new found freedom, from not having to worry about knocking myself on the top of the bunkbed, of not having to move quietly so the mattress doesn't squeak, of not having to muffle any sounds of pleasure.

  I move over her again, my confidence soaring, trailing kisses down her body, covering every inch of her body. I go low again, adventurous, my mouth wanting to taste her again, wanting to please her. I feel her stomach muscles tense, again and again, her body arching, her face contorting, her breathing quickening, pleading, begging me. Her fingernails clutch at my shoulders and there's only pleasure when she scratches me, digs into me as if clinging for dear life. As if I am her savior.

  I move up to her, face to face, and she kisses me. Her hands are gentle now, over my shoulder blades, down my back to my ass. Her touch makes me hard again, but it's a paradox, she makes me feel weak. She's like my kryptonite, I feel powerless, under her spell, but also strong and invincible. Like Nate Stratton should be classified along with the other great lovers, Don Juan, Casanova, Romeo.

  She turns to me, "I love you."

  "I love you more," I say.

  She smiles, "You can't." She traces a finger along my lips.

  "I do," I say, sucking her finger and then she rotates herself ninety degrees so her body is perpendicular to mine and she fingers my cock, just lightly at first, looking at it closely. “What are you doing?” I grin.

  “Just wanna taste,” she says, hesitates, looks at me shyly, “shall I?”

  “Fuck yeah,” I say, “you go for it!” She slides down the bed and repositions herself between my legs.

  “Gentle?” I realise she’s asking me for guidance. It's the biggest turn-on. I smile and nod.

  “Yeah gentle to start.” She takes me in her mouth, she twirls her tongue around, moving it in both directions. Her eyes look up to me for reassurance and I give her the thumbs up, emitting a low groan at the same time. She then takes it deeper, sliding the length of it in and out of her mouth, but her teeth are getting involved, and I say, “Mind your teeth.” I don't need a vision of her biting into me. She works her tongue harder, faster and it doesn't take much, she brings me to the edge.

  “I'm gonna come,” I say, feeling myself ready to erupt, and her eyes look up to me and I realize she going to take me in her mouth, and I close my ey
es, giving in to the release and her mouth stays firm on my cock as I spurt forth, again and again, and then she suddenly pulls off me, leaving the last drops to land on my belly. She's laughing and wiping at her mouth, making a face.

  “Ooh, I don't like it,” she says and she hops up, reaching for her tissue box, holding tissues up to her mouth.

  “Are you spitting it out?” I laugh. She wipes my stomach.

  “It isn't very nice,” she says, and she quickly kisses me with an open mouth, then dashes to her bathroom and I can hear her rinsing and spitting.

  She comes back, jumps on the bed and snuggles in next to me. “I don't think I'll do that again,” she laughs.

  “What did it taste like?” I love her honesty.

  “It's not the taste, more the texture. Like a smoothie? Like a squashed banana? A squished banana that's been sitting in a hot car all day? I don't know, but it was weird.” She jumps up again and fishes in her bag, brings back some gum, pops a piece in to my mouth as well as hers.

  “You're crazy,” I say, still laughing.

  “But you love me crazy don't you?” She snuggles in again.

  “I adore you crazy,” I say, “you're the best.”

  We are just lying together when we hear the noise of doors opening, footsteps, voices, then Magdala's phone vibrates and she answers it. "Okay. Okay. Yeah." She moves off the bed, pulls her clothes on.

  "The boys are back," she says, indicating that we are going to join them. I'd much prefer to stay here, my body wrapped around hers but I dress quickly, feel apprehensive. Her brother I don't mind, but I'm a little nervous about who else will be there. She's already heading for the door, so I follow. Six of them are in the lounge, Jakey amongst them. There's a couple of cartons of beer on the coffee table and the boys are helping themselves. I'm just standing there with my hands in my pockets, feeling awkward. Cassian signals to grab a beer, so I do. I don't want to look like the odd one out. Three of the boys go through to the next room, and set up in front of the PlayStation. I'm just standing there, wondering where Magdala went. Cassian introduces me to Raff, his cousin, Jakey's younger brother. He smiles, greets me, seems friendly, and then he goes through to the PlayStation. Jakey is leaning back on the sofa, his shoes on the coffee table. It's hard to act cool when you feel like an outsider and I wish like fuck Magdala would come back and that I hadn't left my phone in her room. I'm drinking my beer way too fast, just to keep myself occupied. One of the other boys comes back out and sits next to Jakey. Cassian gestures to sit in an armchair so I do, and then he sits next to Jakey. Jakey keeps looking across at me, an intimidating stare making me feel uncomfortable. There's a look about him, of superiority, of distinction, like he knows I'm only dressed in Old Navy. I fiddle with my leather bracelets. Where the fuck is Magdala?

  She comes back carrying an armful of bowls and snacks and sets them up on the table, tells Jakey to shift his feet. She opens the packets and pours them into the bowls, then comes and sits on my knee, leans back and puts her arm around my shoulder. It surprises me, I kiss her cheek, just glad that she's here.

  "Why did you all come back so early?" she asks.

  "Some idiots from Fairfax turned up and Devon let them stay," Jakey says and then looks to me with a patronizing glare, "No parties happening out West?"

  I shake my head, not that I really know, but he makes me feel nervous and I take a long swig of my beer. Just then, Damon appears at the doorway crying and Magdala dashes to him, scooping him up. She carries him in by Cassian.

  "Damon, little bud, what are you doing up?" Cassian asks, gestures for Magdala to put him in his lap. "Did we wake you?" Damon cuddles up to Cash, even Jakey leans over and strokes his head.

  "I'll take him back to bed," Magdala says, but Cash stands and says that he will. Then he tells us to go out on the balcony, to keep the noise down, and Jakey carries out the beers and we sit around the table out there. Once again Magdala sits on my knee. I like that, she offers me some protection, because I'm hating the way Jakey makes me feel.

  "Is that your pile of Toyota shit out there?" he asks with a laugh. I give a nonchalant nod, what else can I do, or say. Dad has always said I should be grateful I have a car, Mom always spins me the spiel about not being able to afford her first car till she was twenty one. I'm still paying them back for my half share in it.

  "Nothing wrong with Toyota shit," Magdala defends. She drives a Honda, but it's brand new, mine is almost as old as me. "Just because you only drive European," she responds in a posh accent, and then laughs. "At least Nathan knows how to change a tire, and how to open the hood," she says and Jakey makes a sudden rush at her and she leaps off me and he grabs her in a wrestle, and she's squealing and giggling, and he stands behind her holding her around the waist. There's obviously something between them that I'm missing. "And where to put gas in," she laughs.

  "Fucking bitch," he scowls.

  "You didn't even know how to open the gas tank," she's laughing hard and I see him squeeze her arm tightly and without even thinking I get up and reach at him, grab his arm, saying, "Leave her man."

  "Yeah, leave me," she repeats, her laughs subsiding. Jakey shrugs my arm off him, his stare intensifies. He releases Magdala, she pats his cheek and says, "Can't take a joke Jakey."

  "Fuck you Maggy," he mutters. I've never heard anyone call her Maggy, and I get the impression, from the look on her face, that she doesn't like it.

  "You're a loser, Jakey," she jests.

  "You're with a loser," he fires back, and I snap then. I reach out and grab him again, we're probably much the same height, but he's leaner than me, and I find out he's quicker than me.

  "Fucking scum," he says, twisting on my arm. I'm thinking he must do judo or wrestling or something. I'm wondering what way I should move because I don't want a broken arm. It feels like he could just snap it.

  "Jakey!" Magdala's voice now sounds panicked.

  "I don't know what your fucking problem is," I say through clenched teeth.

  "You're my fucking problem," he says, twisting my arm even further, causing it to hurt, quite a bit.

  "Shit Jakey, let him go." It's his brother Raff. He comes bounding over to us. "Jakey!" he shouts. Jakey isn't letting me go. His elbow digs into my back and his stance adjusts, so I'm virtually locked in. I figure it's better not to move.

  "Enough, just leave Nathan. Let him go," Magdala pleads. He gives my shoulder one last twist, which makes me wince, then releases me.

  "I'm fucking out of here," he says, storming back inside. Raff and the other boy who has just been sitting there the whole time go in after him.

  Magdala puts her arms around me, says, "Are you okay?" I nod, but it feels like I'm on an adrenaline rush and my heart is beating wildly. "Jakey can be such an asshole," she says, "I'm sorry."

  "It's not your fault," I say.

  "We should have stayed in my room," she says, but she makes no attempt to make a move. Looking through to the other room, it looks like some of the boys are leaving. I'm relieved. Raff comes through, "We're off Magdala."

  "You taking Jakey home?"

  "Yeah, and Hunter. See you later." She follows Raff out, so I just stay on the balcony. I feel bummed out, wondering why he has such a grudge against me, why he thinks so little of me, why he hates me.

  We go back into her room and I say, "Maybe I should just go home." Somehow it doesn't feel right to stay, it feels like I'm unwelcome. Everything feels wrong.

  "No," she says, "Jakey was drunk, he was being an asshole. I want you to stay. Please."

  But I can't shake the anguish, the angst, and I pick up my phone and keys. She clings to my shirt, begs me to stay, but I know I need to go and though it may be the wrong thing, I say, "I'll call you tomorrow." And I leave.

  MAGDALA

  Dad was eating breakfast with Damon and Dominique when I came into the kitchen. He looked at me and frowned and then said, "Has Nate gone already?"

  "He didn't stay," I said angrily, though knowing
it was misdirected. "Jakey had a fight with him." Dad looked at me curiously, indicating he wanted more information. So I told him what Jakey had done. Dad agreed on all of my negative descriptions of Jakey: He's an asshole. Yes. He's so arrogant. Yes. He's such a jerk. Yes. He's the biggest idiot out. Yes. He's such an asshole. You already said that.

  After my piano lesson I was still fuming so I drove over to Jakey's house. He was sitting out by the pool with a girl, Lily. I vaguely remember meeting her once before, and Cash had mentioned her several times. Seems they were a bit of an item.

  "Don't remember inviting you over," he said in a snarky tone.

  "You're an idiot, Jakey Nelson." I stood over him, my hands on my hips.

  "You're blocking my sun Maggy," he said, knowing I'd be irritated by him calling me Maggy, because I hate it, but I pretended not to notice, or to care. "And I've got company, in case you didn't notice." I know it was rude, but I didn't even acknowledge her.

  "I don't know why you have to act like such a jerk," I said.

  "He's no fucking good for you," Jakey said with authority.

  "Since when do you get to decide who's good for me?" I said, furious at his attitude.

  "I know you baby girl," he said smoothly. "I know you better than anyone."

  "You fucking do not," I shouted back. Because if he did he would know how much I loved Nathan.

  "Jesus, calm Maggy," he said, now belittling me, making me seem like a precocious brat.

  "Just settle down. You're getting yourself all worked up for nothing."

  "You're pathetic Jakey, just pathetic," I said, wishing I could have come up with a harsher word. I stormed through the house, grateful Aunt Kate wasn't around. But Connor, Jakey and Raff's stepdad was. He stopped me as I was about to leave.